HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-02-11 Park Board PacketCITY OF EDINA
PARK BOARD MEETING
February 11, 1975
AGENDA
I. Approval of Minutes - Park Board Meeting January 14, 1975
11. Open Space Study
III. Park Board Reviewal of Ordinance 1221
IV. Purchase of Outlot I - Edina Parkland
V. 1975 Golf Course Budget and Fees and Charges
VI. Recreation Report
January 24, 1975
TO: Edina Park Board Members
FROM: Jack Rice
Following the Park Board meeting of January 14th, I had an informal discussion
with Mayor Van Valkenburg regarding several areas of concern expressed by the
board members. I believe that the meeting with the Mayor was very productive
and I am writing to you to summarize my impressions of the conversation:
1. First it was felt that overall communication between the Park Board and
the City Council could and probably should be improved by a regularly
scheduled appearance and presentation of the Park Board at a City Council
regular or work session meeting. We also felt that when matters of an
extraordinary nature came to the attention of the Park Board that a re-
presentative of the Park Board would appear at the next regularly scheduled
council meeting to report directly to the council.
We reviewed Ordinance #1221 which provides for the Edina Park Board and
reviewed Section 6 particularly as it relates to powers and duties.. This
section of the ordinance is very short and states that the Park Board
shall:
A. Develop and review plans for the acquisition and development
of parks and recreation facilities, and make recommendations
thereon to the Village Council and
B. Plan and make recommendations to the Council concerning park
activities and recreation programs.
In my opinion, Section 6 implies a strong duty on the part of the Park
Board to conscientiously and aggressively make recommendations to the
City Council relative to our whole park and recreation program and
implies a duty to document, present and explain to the Council why we
are making the recommendations. I explained to Mayor Van Valkenburg
that this is certainly the way in which we would rather operate and
told him of our unanimous decision to forego any thought of a bond
referendum relative to park finances.
2. On the matter of financial responsibility, the Mayor and I agreed that the
Park Board and Council had made a good start by meeting in a study session,
but we both agreed that there was no final answer or conclusion as a result
of that meeting and it was never intended that there should be. We agreed
that there was no agreed upon or finite limit on capital expenditure funds
for the Park Board use in the eyes of the Council and we also recognized
that certain specific improvements such as Bredesen Park, the 44th Street
cultural center, and second swimining pool should be considered as extraor-
dinary items. We also generally agreed that the repair of the swimming pool
for example, should fall into an area of emergency maintenance rather than
2
capital improvements of an ordinary nature. In the area of available
funds the Mayor agreed that the Council was under no restriction rela-
tive to the money from the sale of the library other than to use the
money to the best interests of all of the people of Edina. He obviously
made no commitment that all or any part of that money would be used for
park programs, but did reaffirm that it was not earmarked for any specific
project in the city. He encouraged us to order our priorities and present
them to the council for their consideration with no set limit of capital
expenditures in mind.
3. After reviewing Ordinance #1221, it was felt that possibly the ordinance
should be updated somewhat relative to general language and that the member
from the School Board and the member from the Planning Commission be full
voting members. I enclose a copy of Ordinance #1221 and Ordinance #1222
for your review. I am sure there are parts of #1222 that need revision and
updating also and this will be an agenda item at the February meeting.
In summary I felt the meeting with the Mayor was particularly refreshing and
I sincerely believe we will have a more open relationship with the City Council
in the future, along with probably a heavier responsibility on the Park Board
to be willing to put together sensible proposals and then recommend them strongly
and effectively to the Council as the Councils appointed ear to the needs of the
city in the area of parks and recreation. I told the Mayor that our Board at
the present time is particularly energetic and dedicated and that I felt that
our present concern and frustrations were healthy to the extent that they showed
just how much this Park Board wants to contribute to Edina.
BGR: js
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